Crisp Comicshttp://crispcomics.com
Fresh Comics (No Filler)Fri, 23 Aug 2013 13:00:25 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6SHOUT OUT FRIDAY – 08.23.13http://crispcomics.com/shout-out-friday-08-23-13/
http://crispcomics.com/shout-out-friday-08-23-13/#commentsFri, 23 Aug 2013 13:00:25 +0000Jacques Nyembhttp://crispcomics.com/?p=1654Every Friday we ask YOU to share with us your indie comic news and we SHOUT it OUT to our readers. Here are this week’s submissions! Please share them with your friends! If you want to be included on next week’s list, send us a message with a short blurb (no more than a paragraph) about your […]

]]>Every Friday we ask YOU to share with us your indie comic news and we SHOUT it OUT to our readers. Here are this week’s submissions! Please share them with your friends! If you want to be included on next week’s list, send us a message with a short blurb (no more than a paragraph) about your comic news, a link and an image to send@crispcomics.com!

10 Years ago, Dan Nokes created the 12 issue maxi-series THE PARANORMALS. 10 years later he collects it all in one COMPLETE VOLUME!

]]>http://crispcomics.com/shout-out-friday-08-23-13/feed/0Interview – Chatting with Jerome Walfordhttp://crispcomics.com/interview-chatting-with-jerome-walford/
http://crispcomics.com/interview-chatting-with-jerome-walford/#commentsMon, 19 Aug 2013 13:30:56 +0000Jacques Nyembhttp://crispcomics.com/?p=1640I was sitting at my computer putzing around a few weeks ago when my Facebook message distracted me from my procrastination. It was Jerome Walford. He mentioned to me his interest in being featured on Crisp Comics. I’ve seen his successfully Kickstarted graphic novel Nowhere Man, and remembered being impressed, but having posted countless more […]

]]>I was sitting at my computer putzing around a few weeks ago when my Facebook message distracted me from my procrastination. It was Jerome Walford. He mentioned to me his interest in being featured on Crisp Comics. I’ve seen his successfully Kickstarted graphic novel Nowhere Man, and remembered being impressed, but having posted countless more articles I had to refresh my memory. The double threat of him being both a great writer and artist fascinated me. I had to interview him and learned more about his projects. Below is the interview that came of it. Give it a read and hopefully be inspired!

Tell to us about yourself, Jerome.

Thanks for taking the time to put this interview opportunity together. My name is Jerome Walford and I’m fairly new to comics from the “professional” creator side of things. Like a lot of kids, I grew up loving to read comics. I developed a deeper love for art because of comics. I can still visualize some of those panels in my head from classic issues of “ROM, The Space Knight”, “X-Men” and “Machine Man”. I studied art at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and received a BFA from Cornell University majoring in Oil Painting and Printmaking.

What made you want to create comics?

When I first went to college, the original goal was to return to comics or publishing in some capacity, perhaps as an illustrator. My roommate junior year was really into this new thing called the “internet”. I was really curious, a couple friends taught me a few coding tricks. The first web page I ever made was one to sell off some of my paintings and it kind of worked. I sold a bunch of stuff, including a seven-foot painting to a dude in Germany. It was very exciting. Things just snowballed from there. Fortunately, I was able to develop a career around online advertising, I really do enjoy it and I don’t regret making that choice. Yet on more than one occasion, clients or coworkers would realize I was pretty good at doing comic illustrations. The overall sentiment was, “What are you doing here?”

When the economy tanked in 2008, I figured the best place to start was with something I really felt passionate about. I dug out a few of my script ideas that had been collecting dust and worked pretty hard to get my artistic skills back in shape. Honestly, it was like going to physical therapy, using muscles that had long atrophied. I produced some painfully bad stuff, thankfully over time both my writing and sequential work improved tremendously.

What are some projects you’re working on?

The first project I began is a roughly 300 page graphic novel series titled “Nowhere Man”. It is broken out over many books. The first three books were published in print earlier this year [2013]. I’m currently producing books four, five and six in that series, which are scheduled for summer of 2014. I just released my first novel in a new series. The series is called “Curse of the Griffin” and the first book is titled “Daniel’s Pride”. I am currently publishing these projects through Forward Comix, an imprint started in 2012. My wife and I have a few other things percolating. We are definitely staying very busy.

As both writer and artist of your comics, which do you find the most challenging? Why?

Without a doubt, the art is what I find the most challenging. Certainly if you take the craft of writing for comics seriously, there is a vast amount of work involved there. On the other hand – and I think most writers would agree – it takes a special kind of skill to turn those words into pictures. Even more so, it takes a certain mastery and determination to produce sequential and consistent images that work together to tell a story.

Do you have a team or are you doing all of this solo?…If solo talk more about that…If not tell us about your team.

To some degree, no one can truly go solo. It is so important to get the right kind of help at the right time. I started doing both the writing and the art, simply out of necessity. This approach has been a blessing in disguise. This has helped me to become a better writer and artist. Working both sides of the process has also helped me to also get that much closer to the characters in my stories. I have been very fortunate to have the editing help of Maya Rock and Jack Sheedy, both accomplished authors in their own right. Maya is currently working on a novel that got picked up by Penguin Books. Jack recently published a memoir titled “Sting of the Heat Bug” that will get you crying on page one.

I see you’ve used Kickstarter to fund a couple of your projects. What made you decided to use it?

Kickstarter is an exciting platform from which to pitch your project. While there are other fundraising tools out there, I find it to be the most intuitive portal for presenting a project and gauging how the project performs over the life of the campaigning process.

Do you think it’s an effective tool for comic creators to fund their properties? Why or why not?

It really depends on your expectation. Speaking from personal experience, Kickstarter is not the place to pitch a project (particularly one that is unfinished) to someone that doesn’t know you. Kickstarter backers are typically long-standing fans of the artist/writer that invited them to fund through this particular platform. It is far more effective to build your fan base first, before attempting such a campaign. In this sense, comics has no advantage over categories on Kickstarter. There is a slight edge because backers typically receive something tangible for their contribution.

What are some of your favorite independent comics?

I am a huge fan of Amy Reeder. Her work on “Halloween Eve” and “Rocket Girl” is pretty awesome. Over the past couple years I’ve gotten to be a pretty big fan of Jamal Igle too. I stumbled across his work on “The Ray” and some of his early “X-Men” pencils posted on Deviant Art and have been hooked ever since. I can’t wait to pick up a copy of “Molly Danger”. It looks pretty fantastic. “reMind” volumes one and two by Jason Brubaker is also some beautifully and artistically done independent work. I would highly recommend these creators for great material, and also for representing and promoting diversity in comics.

I’m currently running a Kickstarter for an exclusive illustrated version of “Curse of the Griffin: Daniel’s Pride”. Check out the campaign, back it and I’ll make it happen. My editors and myself love this new series and it would be a lot of fun to do something special for its launch. There are some opportunities on the campaign to pick up some of my other books too.

Print copies of Forward Comix’s “Nowhere Man” books one, two and three are now back in stock and can be ordered at fowardcomixshop.com

]]>http://crispcomics.com/interview-chatting-with-jerome-walford/feed/0Webcomic Spotlight – Hyperbolic Dystopiahttp://crispcomics.com/webcomic-spotlight-hyperbolic-dystopia/
http://crispcomics.com/webcomic-spotlight-hyperbolic-dystopia/#commentsSat, 17 Aug 2013 13:04:46 +0000Christine Brunsonhttp://crispcomics.com/?p=1626Every so often I get some webcomics suggested to me by some of our readers and a real gem pops out. This week we take a look at a possible grim future in Hyperbolic Dystopia which was created and suggested by Barry J. Gardner. This webcomic is brand new to me and a delightful surprise! From […]

]]>Every so often I get some webcomics suggested to me by some of our readers and a real gem pops out. This week we take a look at a possible grim future in Hyperbolic Dystopia which was created and suggested by Barry J. Gardner. This webcomic is brand new to me and a delightful surprise!

From the very first page the reader is faced with the realization that the world in Hyperbolic Dystopia is not ideal and in fact quite sinister. The comically short antagonist Tod is the tyrannical ruler of Jura but he’s not just happy being the unopposed ruler. The narration starts with a demonstration of prototype mind control chips that appear to give complete control over a person but falls short at the mention of self-harm. Tod’s dissatisfaction with the results and the mixed reactions do a great job of showing that his rule is established by any means necessary but it is not liked by everyone. In the first chapter we see this futuristic world is similar to ours but there are some high tech advances like flying vehicles used for public transportation and the Angry Frog mechs that are utilized by the police force called the Watcher’s Brigade. These lackeys are equipped with technologically advanced suits that help them keep the masses in check. They may have their work cut out for them as the young idealist Winston Coppersmith makes a very public display of his outrage with his hammer. This causes some mixed emotions among the people as some see hope while others see it interfering with their own personal plans.

This comic may be pretty new but it shows enough to let the reader know that they have a visually pleasing ride ahead of themselves. Barry’s art shows a nice stylized look of it’s subjects with a good amount of detail for the outfits and the mechanical objects on the pages. The use of propaganda flyers and word definitions inserted into the story do an excellent job of informing the reader about the world and it’s history so the creator is not forced to create lengthy exposition in the dialogue. The characters do verbally let us know about how things got to where they are but they are free to briefly mention them instead of getting too wordy. Overall it is a well paced and engaging story. I found myself feeling for the plights of the characters and cheering for Winston. There are some story elements that are not suitable for younger readers and the narration is set more for older audiences to appreciate.

Q&A with Barry

The future looks quite dim. What inspired the creation of the maniacal yet short-statured dictator Tod?

(Barry) The concept I originally had for Hyperbolic Dystopia was basically this: What if Douglas Adams, the brilliant mind responsible for “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy,” had written George Orwell’s 1984? And because the foundation of this story starts with 1984, wouldn’t it be ironic if Big Brother wasn’t so big? I also drew inspiration from Kim Jong Ill, who has to be one of the funniest dictators we’ve had in recent history.

It’s something you don’t really see very often in storytelling. Most villains tend to look a certain way, especially in comics. So it creates a very interesting challenge. Here you have someone that has tremendous power that happens to be a little person. How the heck did he rise to power? That’s a question that will eventually be answered as the story progresses, but a big hint is given on the first page of chapter one with a quote from the great historian Will Durant: “It may be true that you can’t fool all the people all the time, but you can fool enough of them to rule a large country.”

Finally, I think it’s actually a very modern thing. Thousands of years ago, a person who took power was usually from the military. Then the person who took power came from the senate like in Rome, and it didn’t really matter how strong they were, only how good their political allies were. Today, I think we have many people with extraordinary power that if we were to see them as they really are, we’d be just as curious as to how such a person came to rule over anything.

How do you feel the mix of futuristic technology like the mechanical Angry Frogs with the buildings and streets looking like current-day cities helps the narration of the story?

(Barry) That’s a great question, and one I’ll admit I struggled with at first. I actually addressed that very question on one of my pages, where I basically say that apart from the flying cars and robots, the future looks an awful lot like the present. But then again, this is taking place after the greatest war the world had ever seen. Despite the great progress that had been made, because of the war, we all took a few steps back. You kind of see this today with third world countries like in the middle-east. Soldiers or terrorists will be walking around with the latest in combat weaponry, but the average guy on the street is still wearing fashions that people have been wearing for hundreds, if not thousands of years. It’s what can happen if a place becomes frozen in time economically, like North Korea, or the former Soviet Union. The government might put all their money and research into military technology, but very little into infrastructure. There’s no thriving businesses, no pop culture, no fashion. So people just sort of stick with what they know works in terms of clothing or architecture.

I don’t know if you’ve seen that new movie, “Elysium.” If I remember right, that movie takes place about 150 years in the future. If you look at a lot of the clothes people wear, they look very modern to our time. Which I thought was a little weird, I mean, Matt Damon is wearing pants that look the same as some of the Levis that I wear. He’s on a planet where technology has moved dangerously forward, but economically, there’s no thriving middle class to drive something like fashion trends, so everything just becomes stagnant.

It is still pretty early in the story but there has been some dramatic action with Winston’s public display of disgust with the current regime. Can you give us some hints about what to expect in the near future?

(Barry) Well, I don’t want to give too much away. Winston is actually named for the main character in 1984, Winston Smith (my guys last name is Coppersmith). So he share’s some things in common with Orwell’s Smith. In 1984, Winston is rebellious against Big Brother, but mostly in secret. Then he gets caught and it’s all downhill from there. Sadly, Winston (spoiler) succumbs to the wishes of Big Brother in the end.

My Winston does not take the same journey that Orwell’s character does. He’s rebellious in a very public and flamboyant manner. But…let’s just say, his motivations are maybe not all just revolution and justice. There’s something very personal in this for him.

Also, Orwell’s story took place primarily between Winston and Julia. My story has that dynamic going for it, but a bigger supporting cast. We’ve met Aldous, a character that will become much more prominent as the story progresses. We’ll also see the people working with Aldous, as they try to figure out how to clean up the mess that Winston just created by starting a revolution in the middle of their plans.

New full color pages of Hyperbolic Dystopia are usually added weekly. So far the story is just beginning it’s second chapter so there are not a log of pages to read yet but I do find the story intriguing and worth a read. You can find some previews, notes about comic production, and other artwork on Barry’s Tumblr blog. If you are in the Salt Lake City, Utah area and wish to find out more about the comic, Barry will be at theSalt Lake City Comic Con during September 5-7 where he will be a guest as well as be a part of some panels about webcomics and indie comics!

Hyperbolic Dystopia may display a grim futurist world but I am optimistic about the progression of this webcomic. The story and the artwork are well done and show a promise of entertaining adventures to come!

]]>http://crispcomics.com/webcomic-spotlight-hyperbolic-dystopia/feed/1Kickstarter Spotlights: Skin Crawling Comics & Comics Undressedhttp://crispcomics.com/kickstarter-spotlights-skin-crawling-comics-comics-undressed/
http://crispcomics.com/kickstarter-spotlights-skin-crawling-comics-comics-undressed/#commentsTue, 06 Aug 2013 23:16:49 +0000Robbhttp://crispcomics.com/?p=1598It’s that time again: we’re back with another installment of Kickstarter Spotlights! We’ve been scouring the web for the most exciting and innovative crowdfunded comic book projects. This week we take a look at a “skin crawling” horror comic anthology, as well as an intriguing documentary about economic, gender, and racial representation in the comic […]

]]>It’s that time again: we’re back with another installment of Kickstarter Spotlights! We’ve been scouring the web for the most exciting and innovative crowdfunded comic book projects. This week we take a look at a “skin crawling” horror comic anthology, as well as an intriguing documentary about economic, gender, and racial representation in the comic book industry.

Skin Crawling Comics Anthology

As a huge fan of both horror comics and the anthology format, I was delighted when I came across the Skin Crawling Comics Anthology campaign on indiegogo. I would later learn that Crisp Comics’ own Christine Bunson was one of the contributors! It is indeed a small world. In fact, a bunch of great creators including: Rachel Pandich (Aspire, Womanthology), Peggy von Burkleo (Samhain Night), Jody Houser (Womanthology), Sarah Elkins (Paragon Ketch), Aaron Hazuri… and MANY other outstanding talents are contributing to this project.

Skin Crawling Comics is on a mission to publish a spooktastic collection of horror stories while rejecting the notions of gore and splatter porn as substitutes for good storytelling. The campaign cites classic Warren and EC horror comic titles like Creepy, Eerie, and Tales From the Crypt as inspiration. Check out the Skin Crawling Comics Anthology video below to learn more.

180 full-color pages of horror goodness featuring the work of 40 indie creators! What more could you ask for? The campaign has some really cool (and very reasonably priced) backer perks lined up, including: digital and printed copies of the finished work, and all kinds of awesome custom commissions! Please, check out the official Skin Crawling Comics Anthology indiegogo page for complete information and to pledge your support.

Comics Undressed

Comics Undressed isn’t a comic book Kickstarter, but rather a campaign to fund an important documentary about the industry. Specifically, the film aims to take a closer look at the lack of equal economic opportunities and underlying forms of discrimination which impact representations of women, LGBTQ people, and people of color in the comic book industry. Comics fans and creators are very diverse, yet that diversity isn’t always represented well by the industry as a whole. Whether you agree or disagree with this premise, this is a vital discussion which needs to take place to ensure the health and longevity of the industry we all know and love. Check out the Comics Undressed pitch video below to get a better idea about what they hope to achieve through their documentary.

Comics Undressed still has a long way to go to meet its goal, and time is running out fast. Check out the official Comics Undressed Kickstarter page to pledge your support or learn more. Good luck, Comics Undressed.

And that’s a wrap for this installment of Kickstarter Spotlights. Have a project that you’d like to see featured here? Send us tips on Twitter @CrispComics or to me @RobbOrr. Thank you for reading Kickstarter Spotlights here on Crisp Comics! Be sure to check out the rest of the site for all kinds of delicious indie comics goodness.

]]>http://crispcomics.com/kickstarter-spotlights-skin-crawling-comics-comics-undressed/feed/0Release Details Announced for Teen Witchblade Serieshttp://crispcomics.com/release-details-announced-for-teen-witchblade-series/
http://crispcomics.com/release-details-announced-for-teen-witchblade-series/#commentsTue, 06 Aug 2013 23:14:57 +0000Christine Brunsonhttp://crispcomics.com/?p=1599In a previous article we mentioned that Top Cow planned on making a new comic series about a teen-aged Witchblade bearer after Stjepan Sejic’s silly warm-up sketches received a lot of positive feedback from his fans. During San Diego Comic-Con and on Sejic’s deivantART account, they have announced that the series will be called Teen […]

]]>In a previous article we mentioned that Top Cow planned on making a new comic series about a teen-aged Witchblade bearer after Stjepan Sejic’s silly warm-up sketches received a lot of positive feedback from his fans. During San Diego Comic-Con and on Sejic’s deivantART account, they have announced that the series will be called Teen Witchblade! Within a month, the first issue will be released online as a free 48-page comic followed by a Kickstarter campaign to fund the first arc. This will allow Top Cow to really see if there is a great interest for the book. If they feel like enough fans want this, this story will continue as an on-going series.

Stjepan Sejic will be handling writer and artist duties but will be aided by writer Ron Marz to make sure that the dialogue is smooth. For now you can follow Sejic on Twitter to stay current on when the book is released and catch up on the sketches and preview artwork in his deviantART folder titled “twitch.”

]]>http://crispcomics.com/release-details-announced-for-teen-witchblade-series/feed/0Webcomic Spotlight – Yeti 4 Hirehttp://crispcomics.com/webcomic-spotlight-yeti-4-hire/
http://crispcomics.com/webcomic-spotlight-yeti-4-hire/#commentsSat, 03 Aug 2013 14:00:57 +0000Christine Brunsonhttp://crispcomics.com/?p=1588No matter what I am currently reading, I always tend to find myself going back to reading goofy action comics. There’s something so appealing about these fun adventures and they always keep me smiling. The whimsical Yeti 4 Hire, created by Jeff Crowther, is a shining example of this genre. In the city of Squaresville, […]

]]>No matter what I am currently reading, I always tend to find myself going back to reading goofy action comics. There’s something so appealing about these fun adventures and they always keep me smiling. The whimsical Yeti 4 Hire, created by Jeff Crowther, is a shining example of this genre.

In the city of Squaresville, we find a sweet, ambitious 8 year-old Veronica and her lovable, blue partner Yeti as they run errands for money and keep the city safe from all kinds of colorful, unhinged villains! They might seem like an odd pair but this offbeat duo work well together as Veronica manages battle and business plans while Yeti handles the heavy lifting and hitting. Dubious villains like the talkative Human Vise and the quirky group Los Deadly Sombreros don’t stand a chance! Despite their plans always seeming to go off track, Yeti and Veronica always entertain the reader with their perfect delivery of jokes.

What first drew me into the fantastic world of the Yeti was the vibrant colors and the clean, expressive artwork. Jeff lays out the pages of this comic in a neat and exciting illustration. I found myself pulled into the story and clicking the pages to find out what happens to the brave duo. I kept giggling aloud as I read the imaginative dialogue. The puns and the creative villains are purely fantastic and made me think of visual gags from some of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons like Rocky & Bullwinkle. The stories themselves are splendid and extras like the “Fight to the Finish” picture where the reader can draw what the Yeti is fighting really add a nice touch to the enjoyment of this webcomic. Even while dealing out exposition the narrative is entertaining and never overbearing. Overall this comic is an expertly constructed tale that is enjoyable for readers of any age.

Q&A with Jeff

Of all the creatures to put in a comic, why a yeti?

(Jeff) Well, the whole comic first started out as a children’s picture book concept I was messing around with. I had been sketching various bigfoot/sasquatch type characters trying to get the look right. I think he morphed into a yeti once I added color and the blue color scheme seemed to lend itself to more of a cold weather creature. Plus Yeti is a fun word and I thought it would appeal to kids. Eventually the book developed into the comic and he was set in stone as a yeti.

Veronica and Yeti have faced a lot of crazy villains just in the first chapter. What is the inspiration behind these daffy evil-doers?

(Jeff) I just love kooky villains! Yeti 4 Hire is heavily inspired by things like Powerpuff Girls and The Tick, which had some fantastic, zany bad guys. They’re my favorite sort of characters to create because I like the challenge of making them silly and over the top while still kind of menacing in the context of Yeti’s cartoon world.

Will the Human Vice ever get any respect?

(Jeff) I doubt it. He’s more fun to write with a chip on his shoulder!

Are there any plans on making print copies of the comic? If so, when do you expect to publish them?

(Jeff) I do plan on collecting the first two stories, The Customer is Always Right and Terror of Taco Tuesday into a printed book, probably this fall.

You can find a brand-new page of Yeti 4 Hire to enjoy every Wednesday. The adventures of the Yeti and his friends are currently reaching the end of their second issue so you have time to get caught up on what makes this comic so great! As mentioned in the Q&A, Jeff plans on releasing a printed book so be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook so you don’t miss out on it!

Being a fan of comics like Tiny Titans and Cleopatra In Space, this webcomic has the right mix of humorous puns and action for me. Will there ever be a villain that is too much for the Yeti? Will Yeti and Veronica ever get paid for their hard work? You need to read Yeti 4 Hire to find out!

]]>http://crispcomics.com/webcomic-spotlight-yeti-4-hire/feed/1SHOUT OUT FRIDAY – San Diego Comic-Con 2013http://crispcomics.com/shout-out-friday-san-diego-comic-con-2013/
http://crispcomics.com/shout-out-friday-san-diego-comic-con-2013/#commentsFri, 19 Jul 2013 17:00:16 +0000Jacques Nyembhttp://crispcomics.com/?p=1579 This week we are SHOUTING OUT Independent/Creator Owned Comic Creators you should visit at San Diego Comic-Con. Please share them with your friends! If you want to be included on SHOUT OUT lists, send us a message with a short blurb (no more than a paragraph) about your comic news, a link and […]

This week we are SHOUTING OUT Independent/Creator Owned Comic Creators you should visit at San Diego Comic-Con.

Please share them with your friends! If you want to be included on SHOUT OUT lists, send us a message with a short blurb (no more than a paragraph) about your comic news, a link and an image to send@crispcomics.com!

]]>http://crispcomics.com/shout-out-friday-san-diego-comic-con-2013/feed/0Storm-Con Indy Event Coveragehttp://crispcomics.com/storm-con-indy-event-coverage/
http://crispcomics.com/storm-con-indy-event-coverage/#commentsFri, 19 Jul 2013 14:00:02 +0000Christine Brunsonhttp://crispcomics.com/?p=1571On the Eastern coast of the US we are always worried about tropical storms headed our way but this past weekend Summerville, SC was treated to the much-welcomed event Storm-Con! The show promised lots of organized game sessions, pick-up games, chances to win some awesome games and other prizes, and vendors that appealed to the […]

]]>On the Eastern coast of the US we are always worried about tropical storms headed our way but this past weekend Summerville, SC was treated to the much-welcomed event Storm-Con! The show promised lots of organized game sessions, pick-up games, chances to win some awesome games and other prizes, and vendors that appealed to the gaming and geeky community.

Although the main focus for the convention was gaming, the staff was kind enough to invite my Undead Norm partner Melanie Florencio and me to be a part of their convention. This was the first year for this convention so I was unsure about what to expect but it definitely exceeded my expectations as well as those of the staff! The rooms were packed from start to finish with avid gamers joining together to play their favorite games as well as try out new ones. Everyone expected Friday to be a little slow as the norm for most conventions but people came early and stayed late to participate in all that the convention offered. Although the show was constantly packed, there was enough space for everyone to play their games and browse the show comfortably. Some con-goers even set up some games at tables in the venues’ lobby.

Another great draw for the convention was the chance to win items from the great “Play To Win” Program and the Charity Raffle! There were 20+ items included in both giveaways and they were generously donated by gaming companies and stores. For the “Play To Win” Program, attendees were allowed to play the games with other con-goers and then put their name in the pot to win the game that they just played. For the raffle, the staff sold tickets that people could put into separate boxes for each individual item for a chance for their ticket to be drawn. Both of these giveaways were very popular for the crowd. On Tuesday, Storm-Con proudly announced that the raffle raised $828 for Camp Happy Days!

Being one of the vendors at this event was excellent. From what I heard from all of my fellow vendors, the event was great for all of them. For my part, I knew that the comics portion was more of an add-on to the convention but people seemed to be happy to find out about my comics as well as take some of them and my artwork home with them. Right by my table were my friends from Soundwave Comics who had some boxes of graphic novels and single issues for joyful attendees to dig through. Artist Mia Chavi Jenkins had beautiful hand-crafted items such as TARDIS earrings, a Green Lantern bottle topper, and leather arm cuffs with a sculpted dragon attached to them. Most of the other vendors had gaming and geek related items for sale including Realms Fantasy Games, Beautiful Brains, Green Dragon, Here Be Books, and Meyer Dice Tube. Representatives from other conventions and events included RoundCon Expo, Geek Gala, SCARAB Gaming Convention, and GnomeCon.

One of my favorite happenings at the convention was the “Round Table Talks” that they offered as their panels. These were small discussions set up in a few rooms where attendees could sit at a table with professionals and discuss many different topics like “RPG Adventure Design for Living Campaigns” and “Story/Game World Creation.” Melanie and I happily hosted “Women in Comics & Breaking into the Comic Industry” session. This panel style was perfect for a smaller convention and helped us to speak more casually about our experiences in the comic industry, and both us and the panel attendees felt comfortable asking each other questions in a more conversational style than in larger panels. I think both the panel attendees and the panelists left the talks happy and inspired about the respective topics.

The Storm-Con staff are already beginning the planning stages of next year’s event. It promises to be bigger and they want to have more artists at the show. I think this is a great opportunity for local artists and possibly further out in the South East. With all of the positive feedback from attendees and other people stating they want to come next year, this could be the start of an awesome annual show! I know I plan on being there next year!

]]>http://crispcomics.com/storm-con-indy-event-coverage/feed/0Webcomic Spotlight – Woohooligan!http://crispcomics.com/webcomic-spotlight-woohooligan/
http://crispcomics.com/webcomic-spotlight-woohooligan/#commentsSat, 13 Jul 2013 13:00:54 +0000Christine Brunsonhttp://crispcomics.com/?p=1540There are many observational humor comics out there when you need a good laugh. This week we take a look at the humor in our life as we visit the zany comic Woohooligan created by Samuel Dealey. The comic strip Woohooligan gives us many reasons to laugh as it lampoons many stereotypes and bizarre occurrences […]

]]>There are many observational humor comics out there when you need a good laugh. This week we take a look at the humor in our life as we visit the zany comic Woohooligan created by Samuel Dealey.

The comic strip Woohooligan gives us many reasons to laugh as it lampoons many stereotypes and bizarre occurrences of recent events. There are scores of absurdities in daily life and pop culture so Sam has plenty of material to bring to life. The format of the comic ranges from single-panel illustrations to full page narrations but all of them are in full color. Most of the comics would be considered PG-13 but there are a fair number of them that contain adult humor so use Parental Discretion when reading around children. As always, I urge parents to pay attention to what webcomics your kids are reading and this is definitely one you need to read and determine if it is appropriate for your older children.

Since 2006, software engineer Samuel Dealey has been gracing the web with his mockery of social interactions and popular media. The subject of each comic is not set in stone so there is lots of social commentary like a recent one joking about interactions of Americans with Canadians as well as genre mashups such as Godzilla meeting Ash from Pokémon. Mockeries of scenes from Star Trek and Star Wars are quite popular in the comic as well. As an added bonus and voting incentive, most comics are posted with an alternate ending that can be seen if you vote for Woohooligan on the Top Web Comics comic ranking website.

I find most of the comics hilarious but sometimes feel like the joke goes a little bit too far for my taste. As with most stand-up comedians or other satirical observational humor, most people will probably like Sam’s brand of humor but it is not for everyone. If you are a fan of comics like The Far Side or Mad, you will most likely enjoy Woohooligan.

Q&A with Sam

You have been creating this comic since 2006. Is there anything that is safe from your satire?

(Sam) That’s a good question. I’m not sure. There are certainly subjects I try to avoid.

And usually I have to be pretty upset about something to do political jokes. Sarah Palin got me with her imaginary “death panels”.

I basically agree with George Carlin – it’s the context of the joke that makes it funny, not the subject matter. So while I may do jokes about racism, you’ll never see me do a joke in which I imply in any serious way that racism is a good thing.

You have a few recurring jokes in the comic like the evil Unicorn and the intelligent zombie. Which of your gags is your favorite and why?

(Sam) Of my running gags? I’d have to say it’s Nigel the Zombie… I thought the original concept was clever and it’s kind of my little passive-aggressive rebellion against mainstream culture and the zombie fad, because it really is just a fad, like bell-bottoms and planking. In a few years folks will look back on it and say “wtf was that about?!”

But it’s getting harder and harder to write anything for Nigel, so I’m not sure how much longer he’ll be around. D’oh!

Is there any comic making advice that your current self would give to your past self?

(Sam) Trust your gut and don’t get discouraged when a joke falls flat, just move on and make the next one the best you can. Work at it every day and eventually you’ll reach those goals. Oh and set goals.

You can usually find at least one new update of Woohooligan per week and there are over 170 comics for you to discover in the archives. There are plans on releasing ebooks and printed collections which will include the comic strips as well as their alternate endings. Be sure to check the website often and follow the comic on it’s many social media websites to make sure you know when they are released!

]]>http://crispcomics.com/webcomic-spotlight-woohooligan/feed/0Kickstarter Spotlights: ‘Perish’ & ‘TOME 2 – Melancholia’http://crispcomics.com/kickstarter-spotlights-perish-tome-2-melancholia/
http://crispcomics.com/kickstarter-spotlights-perish-tome-2-melancholia/#commentsFri, 12 Jul 2013 23:00:42 +0000Robbhttp://crispcomics.com/?p=1554After a short delay, we’re back with a new installment of Kickstarter Spotlights. By now you probably know the drill: we scour crowdfunding sites for the most exciting and innovative projects related to comics, then feature a few each week in this column. This week we have some good news from Kickstarter for our Canadian […]

]]>After a short delay, we’re back with a new installment of Kickstarter Spotlights. By now you probably know the drill: we scour crowdfunding sites for the most exciting and innovative projects related to comics, then feature a few each week in this column. This week we have some good news from Kickstarter for our Canadian friends, as well as a couple of stunning projects to explore, and updates on previously featured projects.

Kickstarter Expands Platform to Canadian-based Projects

As you may have already heard, joining the ranks of their primary competitor Indiegogo, Kickstarter has (finally) announced that they will expand their platform to projects from Canada later this summer. While many Canadian creators have run Kickstarter campaigns in the past, a U.S. bank account (and, consequently, quite a bit of hassle) was required to do so. A “Kickstarter in Canada” page has already launched, encouraging interested creators to submit their projects for consideration, with further information to come as soon as everything is up and running. We look forward to hopefully seeing even more projects from “The Great White North” in the very near future.

Perish:An Original Horror Comic

I’m a big fan of horror comics, and was instantly sold on the Perish Kickstarter campaign. Perish is written by Jenn Corella, who has worked on various indie comic projects, including IDW’s excellent Womanthology (which really pioneered the crowdfunding of comics movement). The pitch for Perish is as follows:

Parrish Arizona is a small town on the border of the US and Mexico. It is secluded, its population intimate, and the way of life simple, secure.

Philip Delgado moved with his young fiancé Olivia to Parrish with promises and dreams of a new life, a quiet, happy life.

Recruited by the local sheriff’s department, Deputy Delgado soon senses that there is something very wrong with Parrish, and its people.

Nightmares turn into hallucinations, hallucinations to terrifying reality. A darkness in Parrish has made itself known to Delgado, something very real, and very old.

The desert, demons, and dark, nightmarish hallucinations? I like it! Let’s check out the pitch video:

I don’t believe I’m familiar with artist, Eng Chee’s work, but from what I can see here it looks great. Perish will be a full-color comic, but even his black and white work looks compelling. The fabulous Ray Dillion and Jenn Corella have each contributed wonderful cover art, along with Pablo Pepino’s art on a special “retailer only” variant.

As a general rule, I usually don’t spotlight projects which have already reached their goals—but in this case I’m willing to make an exception for a few reasons:

-44Flood projects get funded so quickly, I’d never get a chance to write about them otherwise.

-I believe whole-heartedly in 44Flood’s artistic vision.

-And this just might be the best Kickstarter project you’ll see all year.

This group should need no introduction, but in the unlikely event you don’t already know about them, 44Flood is a collective of creators founded by: Ben Templesmith, Menton3, Kasra Ghanbari, and Nick Idell. With two amazing and successful Kickstarter projects under their belts (TOME and LUST), 44Flood is back with another jaw-dropping project, TOME 2 – Melancholia. TOME is an annual art anthology. Each volume features a staggering selection of the finest artists in the land (many of whom will be very familiar to readers of comics) exploring an esoteric theme through a variety of art forms. The results are simply awe-inspiring. Is a short period of time, 44Flood has started a vital and inspiring dialogue about art. I had the honor of interviewing Mr. Templesmith earlier this year at the Emerald City Comicon in Seattle, and his earnestness about 44Flood and art is absolutely sincere and infectious. Check out their incredible pitch video:

This is everything I think a Kickstarter project should be. Check out the official TOME 2 – Melancholia Kickstarter page to pledge your support and for more information, including: additional art, video, the extensive list of contributors, and the generous incentives. Be sure to follow 44Flood on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with all the latest developments.

Updates on Previous Kickstarter Spotlights

It’s my pleasure to congratulate Joshua Covey on making his BAAKO! Kickstarter goal with a few days to spare! Some of the projects we’ve featured here before are still going on and can still use your help.

Got a comic project you’d like featured? Send me tips @RobbOrr on Twitter, and I’ll see what I can do.